Mountain & Music Festival: International lumberjack competition and free concerts in Palaiseau

The mountain comes to Palaiseau for the weekend of 26 and 27 September 2026. An international lumberjack competition, family-friendly activities, Savoy specialties, and free concerts will shape the 29th edition of the Montagne & Musique Festival.

Dog sled teams, lumberjacks from several countries, and even a touch of sledding just a short drive from Paris: on September 26 and 27, 2026, the Montagne & Musique Festival returns to Palaiseau, in the Essonne, for its 29th edition. Throughout the weekend, the event recreates the atmosphere of a mountain village with activities for children, demonstrations, regional products, and several free concerts.

Several activities will let visitors relive some mountain holiday classics: rock climbing, accrobranche and zip-lining, dog sledding, traditional games, and a children's woodworking workshop or even virtual-reality sledding and rafting experiences. A giant slide and axe throwing are also on the program.

Visitors will also have the chance to explore historic trades with the association Les Frontières de Haute Tarentaise. Dressed in period costumes, demonstrations of woodworking and traditional recipes will showcase mountain know‑how. On the food front, stands will feature notably Savoyard and Québécois specialties, along with charcuterie and cheeses.

One of the Montagne & Musique Festival's hallmarks is that the weekend also hosts the 29th edition of its international timber-sports competition.

Music takes over the late afternoon with no fewer than four free concerts. Saturday, September 26, Eloïz will open the shows at 6:30 p.m., ahead of Jean-Baptiste Guégan at 8 p.m.. On Sunday, the Quebec-born Marilyne Léonard will hit the stage at 5:45 p.m., then Louis Bertignac will close the weekend from 8 p.m.. All concerts are free and held outdoors.